Improving data collection of labour statistics (including labour migration statistics)in Pacific Island Countries
The ILO in collaboration with partners, UNESCAP and SPC has completed a sub-regional technical workshop on labour and migration statistics for Pacific Island Countries. This technical workshop took place from 28 July to 1 August 2014 in Nadi, Fiji and brought together government officials from the Ministry/Department of Labour and National Statistics Office from nine Pacific Island Countries, including an employer’s representative.
The main objectives of the technical workshop were (a) to increase participants technical knowledge on the new Resolution concerning statistics of work, employment and labour underutilization adopted in October 2013 by the 19th International Conference of Labour Statisticians (19th ICLS) and (b) to discuss and identify better strategies and mechanisms for improving data collection of labour statistics, including on labour migration statistics, within the framework of the new resolution.
The Ministry of Labour representative from Samoa, Ms Sauleone Eti said that this technical workshop was a good follow up from a similar one organised by the ILO and SPC in 2011. After that workshop, Samoa was able to conduct the 2012 Labour Force Survey (LFS) and School-to-Work Transition Survey. “With the technical support of ILO we hope to conduct a follow up LFS and we will be looking at what implications the new resolution has on the current design of the LFS in Samoa”, she added.
According to the ILO’s Senior Statistician for Asia and the Pacific, Mr Tite Habiyakare, one of the main recommendations of the 19th ICLS Resolution is for ILO to further conduct conceptual and methodological work such as measuring labour migration. Resolution IV of the 19th ICLS (Resolution concerning further work on labour migration statistics) calls on the ILO to spearhead the development of international standards on labour migration statistics, and to prepare a report for discussions in the next ICLS.
In terms of labour migration statistics in the Pacific, the ILO Labour Migration Technical Officer, Ms Sophia Kagan said that the ILO has started piloting the measurement of labour migration in a number of countries worldwide and in Asia, and in partnership with UNESCAP will soon be providing assistance to Kiribati, Tuvalu and Nauru for labour migration data collection.
In closing the technical workshop, the ILO Director for Pacific Island Countries, Mr David Lamotte acknowledged the current initiatives including the ILO supported and SPC lead pilot of the Pacific LFS modules in Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Federated States of Micronesia and Nauru. However, he also acknowledged that there are still gaps in the collection and analysis capacities of PIC’s, which was a fundamental concern, particularly if we are looking at developing evidence based labour market and employment policies. In addition he commended participants for the future follow up commitments made.
For further information, please contact:
Mr David Lamotte
Director
ILO Office for Pacific Island Countries
lamotte@ilo.org
(679) 3313866
The Ministry of Labour representative from Samoa, Ms Sauleone Eti said that this technical workshop was a good follow up from a similar one organised by the ILO and SPC in 2011. After that workshop, Samoa was able to conduct the 2012 Labour Force Survey (LFS) and School-to-Work Transition Survey. “With the technical support of ILO we hope to conduct a follow up LFS and we will be looking at what implications the new resolution has on the current design of the LFS in Samoa”, she added.
According to the ILO’s Senior Statistician for Asia and the Pacific, Mr Tite Habiyakare, one of the main recommendations of the 19th ICLS Resolution is for ILO to further conduct conceptual and methodological work such as measuring labour migration. Resolution IV of the 19th ICLS (Resolution concerning further work on labour migration statistics) calls on the ILO to spearhead the development of international standards on labour migration statistics, and to prepare a report for discussions in the next ICLS.
In terms of labour migration statistics in the Pacific, the ILO Labour Migration Technical Officer, Ms Sophia Kagan said that the ILO has started piloting the measurement of labour migration in a number of countries worldwide and in Asia, and in partnership with UNESCAP will soon be providing assistance to Kiribati, Tuvalu and Nauru for labour migration data collection.
In closing the technical workshop, the ILO Director for Pacific Island Countries, Mr David Lamotte acknowledged the current initiatives including the ILO supported and SPC lead pilot of the Pacific LFS modules in Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Federated States of Micronesia and Nauru. However, he also acknowledged that there are still gaps in the collection and analysis capacities of PIC’s, which was a fundamental concern, particularly if we are looking at developing evidence based labour market and employment policies. In addition he commended participants for the future follow up commitments made.
For further information, please contact:
Mr David Lamotte
Director
ILO Office for Pacific Island Countries
lamotte@ilo.org
(679) 3313866